Accomplishing 50 ski descents across North America takes a lot of gear, including a great vehicle to get you there. Check out Cody Townsend’s badass Ford Ranger overland build.
Cody Townsend’s The FIFTY Project involves a lot of climbing and skiing, but also a ton of driving. “This is my rig, the thing I live and drive in for the entirety of winter, all around North America,” announced Townsend matter-of-factly.
How does he do it? To help us keep up with Townsend on winter roads and up backcountry trailheads, he enlisted the assistance of a 2019 Ford Ranger.
But it’s not just any Ford Ranger. In this episode, get a behind-the-scenes tour of the truck that’s been almost everywhere — from the cab to the bed to the tires. (There’s even a guest appearance by van-lifer, ski bum, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin.)
Townsend’s Build
Townsend’s overland truck build starts with the Ford Ranger Lariat edition with Ford’s “Off-road” package, plus a GoFast camper and a bevy of storage and car-camping tools.
Over the years, he’s perfected the vehicle for his adventures.
He starts off with a 2.5-inch Radflow suspension lift. Townsend explained that he chose Radflow because the brand customizes the suspension for each order for a specific truck’s weight and needs.
“I can fly through potholes at like 60 [mph] and not even remotely feel them,” he said. On top of that, he runs Total Chaos Fabrication upper control arms. That all connects the truck to 34-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires.
“I don’t have any rubbing or any sort of issues with it,” he said of the tire size choice.
To make it livable for the entire winter, he added a GFC camper to his four-door Ranger with a 5-foot bed. Under that, he has a custom-built deck for organized storage. On top, he mounted a Thule rack and solar panels. Inside, you’ll find YETI coolers and storage bags, as well as other common products for car camping.
“It is the most utilitarian truck-bed living system I’ve found,” he said.
Whether or not you’re building out your own vehicle, this video is a rad watch.
